E 252: The Epic Saga of Captain James Hook vs Peter Pan

ONE DAY CLOSER with Mark & Dave

I thought it might be fun listen to a saga tale riddled with intrigue, conflict, struggle, as well as, insight, wisdom and epic life lessons, the epic tale of Captain Hook vs Peter Pan.

Released in 1991, Hook is an American fantasy adventure firm, directed by Stephen Spielberg. It stars Robin Williams as Peter Pan, Dustin Hoffman as Captain Hook, Julia Roberts as Tinker Bell, and Maggie Smith as Granny Wendy.

The movie opens with a visual of an adult Peter Pan (Peter Banning), who has forgotten his childhood due to his high-powered career as a corporate takeover lawyer. As an adult, Banning is a stressed out, over worked, miserable shell of a man that is trapped in the endless pursuit of something…that cannot be secured while enslaved to the trappings of his career.

But when his old archenemy, Captain Hook, kidnaps his children, Banning must return to Neverland to save them.

Tinker Bell appears to Banning, reminds him of who he was, sprinkles him with Pixie Dust and carries him away to Neverland, a mystical island accessible by flying past the "second star to the right, and straight on till morning".

When he awakes from the journey, he finds himself completely out of place, still dressed in his tux from the night before, surrounded by pirates. His daughter Maggie is suspended in a cage from the main mass, as Captain Hook boasts that he has captured Peter Pans kids.

Banning screams out…”those are my kids!” Hook can’t believe his eyes. “You’re not Peter Pan!” But Tinker Bell confronts Hook and negotiates a three day reprieve to get Banning (Peter Pan) back into shape and prepared for the final battle between Hook and Pan.

She takes him to the hideout of the Lost Boys and explains to the Lost Boys that this really is the PAN…that they need to rally and get him in shape for the battle in three days!

The Lost Boys will have to “see” that their former leader PAN is somewhere inside this “grumpy old grampa man.” They’ll need to teach him again how to “crow” and how to “fly.” They’ll need to help him “imagine” the possibilities first, and help him find his “Happy Thoughts.”

Without his “happy thoughts” Pan will never be able to “fly” and without “flight” he’ll never prevail over Hook.

So what do we glean from this story?

In the midst of doing life, things happen. Disasters come. Trials manifest out of thin air often during our most vulnerable times…when our plate is already full, when we are already jugging more than we can handle and when we least expect it.

This describes Banning’s situation to a tee.

These challenges, whatever they may be, affect everyone around you…your souse, your kids, your co-workers, and friends. Nonetheless…we have no choice but to accept the situation, adjust accordingly and engage.

There will be characters in the midst of the drama that are FOR you…they know WHO YOU ARE…and they know WHAT YOU ARE CAPABLE OF (like Granny Wendy, Tinker Bell and eventually the Lost Boys). They BELIEVE in you…even when you don’t believe in yourself.

Pans strength didn’t come from losing weight in three days or from his muscles or physical abilities. It was his mental strength…his renewed perspective of WHO HE WAS long ago and WHAT COULD BE AGIAN…SIMPLY BY CHANGING HIS ATTITUDE…to BELIEVE IN HAPPINESS and then PURSUE TO THE END…that made PETER PAN…PAN THE MAN!

Who was Granny Wendy? Could Granny Wendy have represented God the creator, who cared for all the orphans? Who encouraged them day and night?

And who was Peter Pan? Was he “lost” as the leader of the Lost Boys many years prior to growing up, or did he loose his way in his adult years?

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